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Turkey Burger And Sweet Potato Fries Don't Skimp On Taste

Jenn Harris |
September 9, 2009 | 10:52 p.m. PDT

Associate Editor
fullburgerandfries
A low-cal turkey burger and sweet potato fries provide a healthy solution to fast-food
cravings. (photo by Jenn Harris)

I can't pinpoint the exact moment I fell in love with food. It could have been one afternoon spent on the floor of my grandmother's kitchen while she watched me push aside my toys and play with her old wok. Or maybe it was the first time I had my heart broken and the only thing that got me out of bed was the smell of bacon and the feeling of it soothing my aching arteries. Whatever prompted this love affair of mine, I'm grateful. Grateful for the many times a meal has lifted my spirits and for all of the thousands of dollars those meals have probably saved me from therapy.   

When I was doing my undergraduate work at the University of California at Irvine I moved into my first apartment. The kitchen was small, but I had an oven that worked (sometimes) and a stovetop that managed to heat up just enough to boil water in half an hour. It was at this small apartment across the street from campus and within walking distance of a Trader Joe's that I began to work on creating my own recipes. For the past six years, I've been honing my craft and whipping up masterpieces and disasters in the kitchen.  

This column is dedicated to the home cook; those fearless kitchen mavens who like to eat, are not afraid to get flour in their hair and know how to have a good time. For my first installment I wanted to share one of my very favorite recipes: A grilled turkey burger on a whole wheat bun with sharp cheddar cheese, caramelized red onions, spicy chipotle spread and sweet potato fries. I like to stay in shape and admit to watching what I eat, but I don't want to have to skimp on taste. This is a healthy treat that just happens to taste like a burger and fries from a fast food restaurant, but a lot better.  

I season the burger with garlic and onion powder and lots of black pepper. The caramelized onions load the burger with extra flavor and the gooey, melted cheese adds a nice sharp kick to every bite. The fries are oven baked to a crisp and seasoned with smoked paprika and hot cayenne pepper. Pair with a crisp summer salad and this recipe is great for a backyard barbeque with friends or the next time you get a craving for a burger but don't want the calories.

dressing
(photo by Jenn Harris)

Guilt-Free Burgers and Fries with Green Salad

Serving Size: 1

Ingredients:
¼lb turkey patty
1 whole wheat bun
¼ red onion
1 slice sharp cheddar cheese
1 large sweet potato
extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp whole-wheat flour
cayenne pepper
smoked paprika
garlic powder
onion powder
salt and pepper
¼ cup canned corn
one head romaine lettuce
½ tomato
¼ cup chopped cucumber
Your favorite dressing
Mayonnaise
½ chipotle pepper in adobo sauce

For the burger:
Take the burger and season it on both sides with ½ tsp onion powder and ½ tsp garlic powder and lots of black pepper. Press down on the seasoning so it adheres to the meat. Take the patty and grill until fully cooked. Warm the bun in the oven for 30 seconds. Take the red onion and cut into rings. Place the rings in a pan on the stovetop and cook until caramelized. Take a slice of cheese and place it on the burger on the grill and cover with a piece of foil to allow the cheese to melt (1-2 minutes). Chop the chipotle pepper until it becomes a paste. Add the paste to the mayonnaise and spread over the bun. Assemble burger and top with onions.

fries
(photo by Jenn Harris)

For the fries:
Preheat oven to 425F. Cut the sweet potato into ¼ inch strips (that look like fries!) Place fries on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle a table of whole-wheat flour over the fries and toss. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper and smoked paprika. Place the fries in the oven and bake until crisp (about 40 minutes). Halfway through cooking, toss the fries with some tongs.  

dressing
(photo by Jenn Harris)

For the salad:
Toss the corn, tomato, cucumber and lettuce together with your favorite dressing. Mine is a simple balsamic vinaigrette.

Balsamic dressing:
¼ cup olive oil
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
1tsp Dijon mustard
1tsp honey
salt and pepper

Whisk all the ingredients together and voila!



 

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